Full Analysis Summary
EMC route reconsideration
Saudi Arabia is reported to be considering rerouting the East to Med Corridor (EMC) fibre‑optic link through Syria rather than via Israel, according to reporting that cites Middle East Eye and industry consultants.
The EMC, launched in 2022, is a partnership initially involving Saudi Telecom (STC), Greece’s PPC, Greek telecom firms and a satellite applications company, intended to boost connectivity between the Gulf and Europe to meet rising demand from AI, cloud services and cross‑border networks.
The reported Syrian option is framed as part of Riyadh’s changing strategic calculations and regional outreach toward Damascus.
Coverage Differences
Narrative Framing
Siasat (Asian) frames the move as a reported strategic recalculation tied to the war in Gaza and wider regional tensions and cites MEE and a US submarine‑cable consultant, borna.news (Other) frames it as part of Saudi efforts to reintegrate Syria economically and highlights an STC investment, and خبرگزاری برنا (Other) foregrounds that routing via Syria is being presented as a way to bolster Syria’s new US‑ and Israeli‑backed rulers while noting Greece’s role in the EMC partnership.
Syria cable routing motives
Reporters and analysts link the reported routing preference to an uptick in diplomatic and economic engagement between Riyadh and Damascus.
They also link it to growing Saudi investment to modernize Syrian telecoms.
Sources say Saudi planners now see Syria as a potential terrestrial transit hub connecting the Indian Ocean, Europe and the wider Middle East.
At least one industry consultant told reporting outlets that demands to route the cable via Syria represent a new development in the project's evolution.
Coverage Differences
Tone
borna.news (Other) emphasizes reintegration and concrete investment — noting STC’s announced $800m plan to lay thousands of kilometres of fiber — while Siasat (Asian) stresses diplomatic shifts and the impact of regional conflict (the war in Gaza) on strategic calculations; خبرگزاری برنا (Other) explicitly links the route choice to bolstering Syria’s new rulers.
EMC partners and routes
Reports cite concrete commercial details, including the EMC’s original partners and competing routing options.
All three outlets say the EMC was announced in 2022 and list Saudi Telecom and Greek partners.
borna.news uniquely reports an STC announcement of roughly $800m and 4,500 km of planned fiber to connect Syria.
Other outlets note that earlier plans included Israel but say those plans changed amid wider tensions.
Coverage Differences
Missed Information
borna.news (Other) provides a specific commercial figure and scale for STC’s project — '$800 million' and '4,500 km' — which is absent from the Siasat (Asian) and خبرگزاری برنا (Other) summaries that focus more on partnership composition and geopolitical drivers.
EMC rerouting implications
Analysts and reporting outlets highlight regional political implications: rerouting the EMC through Syria could complicate Greek-Israeli cooperation and reshape Athens’ courting of Gulf capital.
Positioning Damascus as an overland node would mark a diplomatic rehabilitation for Syria.
Some sources present the routing as a direct consequence of the Gaza war and broader regional tensions.
Other sources present it as the logical extension of Riyadh’s normalization and reintegration strategy for Syria.
Coverage Differences
Contradiction
Siasat (Asian) suggests the reported rerouting 'could strain Greek‑Israeli cooperation in defence, security and energy' and links the change to the war in Gaza, whereas borna.news (Other) frames the development as part of a deliberate Saudi policy of reintegrating Syria into regional trade and communications — a more positive, strategic framing; خبرگزاری برنا (Other) highlights Greece’s role in marketing itself as a Europe‑West Asia bridge, a different emphasis on opportunity rather than immediate strain.
Uncertainty over Syrian reroute
All available reporting relies on a mix of MEE reporting, unnamed consultants and officials, and a stated STC investment, so crucial uncertainties remain.
Sources frame the Syrian routing as 'reported' or 'insisting' rather than as a finalized government decision, and multiple outlets quote consultants describing the Syrian transit demand as a new development.
Coverage differs in emphasis: some outlets foreground geopolitical risk while others focus on reintegration investments.
None of the sources cited here presents an official, publicly available multilateral agreement finalizing the reroute, so the situation remains subject to confirmation.
Coverage Differences
Source Attribution
Siasat (Asian) explicitly cites 'MEE' and a 'US submarine‑cable consultant' describing the Syrian transit demand as new; borna.news (Other) quotes a 'fiber‑optic consultant' and a 'western official' and cites STC’s announced investment; خبرگزاری برنا (Other) repeats the MEE framing but adds the claim about bolstering Syria’s new US‑ and Israeli‑backed rulers — demonstrating variation in which actors and risks each outlet highlights.